THE HERO'S SON IS A MONSTER-Chapter 85: The demons are attacking !!!

If the fortress was one of the Celestial Kingdom’s defensive lines, then Alinru was undoubtedly one of its gateways. A free-trade city, a crossroads where commerce, intrigue, and ambition intertwined. Beyond it stretched the Dead Sea, a vast, cursed expanse, a silent witness to the ravages of time.

Now, maritime trade was impossible due to the demonic attack. The effects of the invasion were already being felt, weighing heavily on the city. Alinru had never truly been a military stronghold. Its role was far grimmer: a buffer, a sacrificial rampart meant to slow the enemy down, to weaken them before they reached the kingdom’s heart. In truth, the Celestial Kingdom had never valued this place.

Alinru was an independent territory, a haven for adventurers, outlaws, political refugees, and deserters. An anomaly that the kingdom’s rulers could never control. So rather than defend it, they had decided to abandon it, hoping the demons would shatter upon its walls before advancing further.

The decision had not been made lightly. It was a cold, calculated strategy. If the demons failed to breach Alinru, managing the crisis would be easier. If they did... at least the kingdom would gain valuable insight into the threat they faced.

Matus knew all this. He had watched this city grow under his leadership, shaping it into his own vision. And now, they asked him to let it fall.

"The demons, huh..." he murmured, gazing out at the horizon, his eyes lost beyond the land, as if trying to unravel the mystery of the Dead Sea.

Despite the growing fear among the people, Matus didn’t take the demonic threat too seriously. So far, every recorded incident had been minor, nothing warranting large-scale panic. To him, this could all be a carefully orchestrated act by the Celestial Kingdom.

After all, everyone knew that summoning the Hero had not been a unanimous decision. Who was to say this wasn’t all a ploy by the Celestial King? A fabricated enemy, a contrived savior—both designed to elevate the kingdom’s prestige.

He wasn’t naïve enough to dismiss the possibility entirely. Sure, strange events had been reported here and there, but did they truly justify calling forth a Hero?

And then there were the rumors about this so-called Hero... They almost made him laugh. Since the summoning, the kingdom’s situation had only worsened.

Matus clenched his fists.

"I hate this feeling of being used!" he roared. "But I suppose there’s no avoiding it..."

He exhaled slowly, placing a hand on the cold stone of the battlement.

"I really wanted to make this place a land of freedom. But it seems the times are against me..."

His dream of independence was slipping away. He knew it.

As he stood in thought, a figure clad in full armor approached him. Silent, yet careful enough for Matus to notice.

"Matus," she called, her voice clear and steady.

He didn’t answer immediately, only giving a slight nod—acknowledging that he was listening. He knew she had come with an update on the mission he had entrusted her with.

"The evacuation is 30% complete. Several adventurer teams have decided to leave Alinru, reducing our forces. According to the message we received, the kingdom’s reinforcements won’t arrive for another month. They’ve requested that we conduct reconnaissance missions and send all vital information to Fort Carmin."

Matus grimaced.

"A month? I see... I see... What about the enemy?"

"Their numbers are impossible to estimate. But creatures that should only exist within dungeons have been sighted."

He ran a hand over his chin, deep in thought.

"And the Church?"

"They’ve refused to intervene. Apparently, the Celestial Kingdom hasn’t made our status clear to them. We can’t rely on external help. We have only two choices: fight or flee... But the Celestial Kingdom has promised us unconditional support."

Matus let out a bitter laugh.

"Empty words..."

Under normal circumstances, he would have told everyone to flee. But Alinru was everything—to him, to its people. And evacuating took time. As long as the non-combatants were still here, he had no choice but to stand and fight.

His gaze fell on his companion.

"Nys, why don’t you leave? You could still live a few more years if you abandoned this place."

The woman smirked. She knew Matus never lied, that he truly worried for her. And it disgusted her.

"Matus, you make me want to vomit," she retorted, resting a hand on her hip.

Matus scratched his head. He expected such a response, but he still felt the need to try.

"Listen—"

She cut him off.

"Matus, the only reason you’re still alive is because of the power you built here. If you leave Alinru, you’re finished. Out there, you have nothing. Only enemies. Between dying here or dying out there like a dog, which would you choose?"

"What kind of messed-up comparison is that? That’s not even related to my question! You overcomplicate everything, Nys... Whatever. I never planned on running. Not this time..."

Nys grinned, puffing out her chest with confidence.

"Even though you’re ugly, don’t worry—I’ll watch over you. We’ll die together."

"You’ve got a terrible way of reassuring people... Your husband wouldn’t like hearing that."

"Shut up, that’s not something a 45-year-old virgin should be saying!"

Matus narrowed his eyes.

"I wouldn’t be if you gave me a chance before we die..."

Nys burst into laughter.

"You sure have guts, now that death is breathing down your neck! Drop by my place tonight..."

Matus smiled awkwardly. He knew she was serious. And so was he—half-joking, half-serious as always. But now, he was already thinking of a way to back out of this.

"The time has come," he declared, smoothly changing the subject.

Nys sighed, recognizing his clumsy attempt at escape, but she let it slide.

Matus turned and gazed down from the walls. Below, a mixed crowd had gathered—adventurers, former knights, mercenaries. An eclectic force, yet one united by a single cause.

He cleared his throat, and Nys handed him a voice-amplifying artifact.

Raising it to his lips, he spoke with unwavering resolve:

"My friends, the demons march upon us! But we will stand and defend Alinru! For our city!"

A roar erupted from the crowd.

One voice.

One will.

And then, the Ode to Alinru rose to the heavens.

*

During the crisis council, Nys had made a proposal—she would be part of the reconnaissance team. Their goal was simple: get closer to the threat to assess it. Their only mistake was thinking that doing so at night was a good idea.

The team itself was decent; each member possessed considerable skill and speed.

Night had fallen over the plains near Alinru, and Nys’s team advanced cautiously through the ruins of an old outpost.

The air was heavy, thick with a metallic scent, and an oppressive silence filled the surroundings. They were not alone.

"Stay in formation," Nys murmured, her sharp gaze scanning the darkness.

With most of their mission completed, she had suggested venturing further, as everything had gone smoothly so far. She believed that gathering more information on the enemy could be invaluable, especially if Matus ever decided to surrender to the kingdom.

They were six—hardened veterans. Mercenaries, former knights, monster hunters. But tonight, unease was written on their faces. They had been tracking the demon horde’s movements all day, pushing further than they should have.

A sudden roar shattered the darkness.

"Contact!" one of them shouted.

A towering mass emerged from the shadows, its charred flesh streaked with crackling blue energy.

A monstrous being, several meters tall, a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and shattered bones, with three glowing eyes locked onto them.

Though they had approached such creatures before, they were never reckless enough to forget to keep a safe distance. But this monster had appeared as if from nowhere.

"This... this isn’t an ordinary demon..." stammered the oldest of the group.

The creature gave them no time to react. It lunged forward, its massive claw crushing the unfortunate knight. His scream was cut short by the sickening sound of bones shattering.

"Scatter!" Nys commanded, throwing herself to the side.

The warriors tried to encircle the beast, but it was too fast, too powerful. The monster hunter attempted a strike from behind, his enchanted blade aiming for a joint, but the creature spun and smashed him into the ground with a devastating blow.

"Damn it! We have to retreat!" the mercenary archer shouted, drawing her bow.

Magical arrows whistled through the air, piercing the monster’s flesh, but it showed no sign of pain. In one impossibly swift motion, it lunged at the archer and impaled her on its claws.

Blood splattered onto Nys, who staggered back, her breath ragged. Only three of them remained, and the creature had not slowed.

"Nys! Run!" one of the remaining mercenaries yelled, unleashing a burst of flames to push the beast back.

"We won’t hold it for long! We have to warn Matus!" insisted Dalwen, severely wounded.

"No... I can’t—"

"Go! For Matus!"

One last look. Then, gritting her teeth, Nys turned and ran. Behind her, her comrades charged the beast in a final act of defiance.

She ran as fast as she could.

One by one, her friends’ screams faded into silence.